About this Episode
A new clinical trial suggests that a simple pill could one day replace bulky sleep-apnea machines for many patients. Researchers found that the drug sulthiame significantly reduced breathing interruptions during sleep in people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea occurs when the airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing breathing to stop temporarily and lowering oxygen levels. These interruptions can happen dozens of times per hour, leaving people exhausted and increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes.
Today, the most common treatment is a CPAP machine, which keeps the airway open by blowing pressurized air through a mask worn during sleep. While highly effective, many patients struggle with the device’s discomfort and noise. In fact, studies suggest up to half of patients stop using CPAP within a year.
The new study, conducted across four European countries, tested sulthiame on 298 patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Participants taking higher doses of the drug experienced up to 47% fewer breathing interruptions compared with those receiving a placebo. Oxygen levels during sleep also improved.
Sulthiame appears to work by strengthening the brain’s breathing signals, increasing respiratory drive and reducing the likelihood that the airway collapses during sleep. Most side effects reported in the trial were mild and temporary.
Interestingly, the drug is not new—it has already been used for decades to treat certain forms of childhood epilepsy. Researchers are now investigating whether it could become the first medication that directly treats the underlying cause of obstructive sleep apnea.
If larger trials confirm the results, millions of people who currently rely on sleep machines could one day manage their condition with something far simpler: a daily pill.
